Why I Hate Walmart

Frankly, I avoid shopping at Walmart at all costs, but my wife, being the frugal teacher she is, will shop there when she knows it's cheaper than elsewhere. I know, this doesn't really fit under the general topic guidelines that I've set for myself on this blog, but I just have to get it off my chest. I haven't done one of these for a long time (before I owned this domain, I think), so here's another one:

Reason #6,539: When employees go on break, lunch, or off the clock in any manner, they are trained and instructed that they are not allowed to help customers on the floor, or they will get disciplined. This has been confirmed by the store manager at my nearest Walmart.

So, while there tonight, we needed one more product that we were purchasing from the shelf. We noticed employees leaving the back room, but they didn't have their aprons on. I asked if they were employees, and if they could help me. They promptly told me they were one lunch and couldn't help me, and if they did, they could get in trouble by management. I could hardly believe it too.

Not believing my ears, and after purchasing what I had already grabbed, I asked for the store manager. I told him the situation, and he confirmed what the lady had said: they are not allowed to provide customer service while off the clock. Needless to say, I was surprised, speechless and completely dumbfounded. They just keep giving me reasons to hate them.

{ 47 } Comments

They probably have to stop working when on break for legal reasons. (I am not a lawyer)

1. If they are helping customers, then they are not on their labor-law mandated break. Walmart can get in trouble if they break labor laws.

2. Insurance reasons. If an employee is off-the-clock, then are they covered by the insurance policy?

I think Walmart is a great company. If enough people agreed with you then it would go out of business. Instead, their success proves that they meet the needs of the customers better than their competitors. (This does not mean they are perfect.)

*EVERY* customer service/retail job I have ever had (Lagoon, Hollywood Video, Albertson's, R.C. Willey, etc., I was *ALWAYS* instructed that, even when off the clock, if a customer asks for help, provide that help. This was given during employee training, and periodically throughout my employment. It's called customer service. Walmart lacks it considerably.

I have to agree with Tristan. Because Walmart is such a target I can see employee advocacy groups sending in "Tests" to see if Walmart is "making" employees work on their unpaid breaks. By instructiung you to always help the customer they are requiring you to work unpaid time. Walmart is in a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation.

Walmart can't *enforce* them to work when off the clock. However, it's not good business practice to discipline them if they do. *ALL* employees should be encouraged to provide customer service, regardless of whether they are clocked in or not. Required? No. Encouraged? Definitely.

As far as secret shoppers, the "Tests" that you called it, they should be sent in regularly. If the employee is on break, then that is the real sign of their customer service level, isn't it? In this case, they would've failed miserably. Just as you truly don't know someone until you monitor them when they are alone, you really don't know a store's customer service until they are monitored off the clock.

People just don't get true customer service these days, and that's the #1 reason I keep shopping at the stores I do. If I'm not treated right, why would I want to continue to provide them business? Price and selection aren't enough. It's gotta be good customer service. And Walmart is foreign to that concept.

While I don't like Walmart any more than you do, I have to disagree with your point here.

Everyone already know that Walmart is under scrutiny by every Labor watchdog organization on the planet. They are accused of many things including poor employee treatment.

Imagine the consequences (PR, and legal) if they were caught "encouraging" their employees to work on break, or off the clock w/o pay. The backlash would be horrendous. To combat this possibility, they implemented a policy of forcing their employees *not* to work off the clock.

Also, asking their employees to work off the clock could expose them the risk of lawsuit of violating Overtime Pay federal regulations.

Yes, many companies ask their employess to work off the clock. However, these companies are exposing themselves to risk of lawsuit. This risk isn't very high most of the time, but Walmart is a very large company with many disgruntled workers. This causes the risk to increase greatly.

Slightly reduced customer service is definitely worth the reduction of risk of lawsuit, and happier employees that don't work off-the-clock.

First off, I have never been asked to work of the clock. Every time that I have been asked to work, I have had to clock in. So, maybe encouraged was a bad word here. But, then again, maybe not.

Customers should come first. Plain and simple. So, if you are heading to your break or lunch, and a customer stops you for help, you should provide the service, even if you have to add it to your timecard later. By refusing customer service, because you are off the clock, shows bad training by the company, and shows the customer what you really think of them.

I highly disagree with this. I hate walmart too, but if the employee is on break, leave them alone! They work in a public retail establishment and if one person asks for help, they could spend their entire break (probably all of 15 mins) helping customers. Yes customers should come first, when they are being paid to help them. I have worked in a grocery store when I was a kid, and it was so annoying to just try to go to the bathroom without having 6 people ask you for help. It got to the point where I would have to put a sweatshirt over my uniform just to take a leak. Give these people a break, they deal with "um excuse me, can you help me find...." all day long. If they are on their break, leave them alone and find someone else. I think everyone should have to work retail once in their life to truely appreciate how annoying the general public really is.

Fisrt the law is that if you are not on the clock you can't work period. Would you work for free? HELL NO well why should I or my co-workers. We to have a life and families, kids to pick up at day care on time or pay a late fee. When we go to the new uniforms I plan on bringing a shirt or jacket to cover my shirt when I am off the clock for this very reason. If you had to deal with rude demanding people all day long at the end of your shift you would run like hell out of the store too don't judge me until you have worked my job with my pay, the best bargin isn't on the shelf my pay check tells me it's me.

get over it dude. have you ever worked a thankless customer service job? it's people like you who make it such a crappy position. you really think we give a flying crap if you need help and we're finally getting some deserved time to ourselves? go back to your high paid job and leave minimum wagers alone.

crystalfame- Thanks for commenting. You are the prime example of what I am talking about in this post. The never-ending attitude of workers who don't give a flying crap about their job, or the ones that they are getting paid to serve. Because of your attitude towards your job, and its duties, you will never get a job better than minimum wage, and I will never shop at your place of employment. Thanks for taking the time to be an example of my post. Maybe you were the one who refused to help me?

jane- I don't know they are on break. Do they wear signs around their neck saying "I am on break- don't bother me."? I didn't think so. If they don't have the attitude of customer service, then the company they work for is all tho worse off because of it- on break or not.

Carrie- I'm not condoning that the employer force them to work while off the clock. Rather, self empowerment and motivation to serve the customers that they are getting paid for is what I am talking about. If you don't have the spirit of customer service, then why did you take a customer service job to begin with? Oh, and when on 'break', you're still on the clock, thus, getting paid to help me. When on 'lunch', you are off the clock. And, whether or not you are off the clock or on it, if you don't have what it takes to give good customer service, then get another job, because I certainly don't want you waiting on me.

I work for barely above min. wage, I work long 9 hour shifts on my feet serving food over a hot food counter while getting told to [censored], being screamed at and being called [censored]. Frustrated people who work long days themselves come in and take out their problems on me. I work there to support my family because I can't find a job in my neck of the woods with my college education because the job market is so crowded in my field. When I take my break, I get fifteen minutes to have my smoke, sit down and have a drink. When I'm walking without my vest on, I expect people to leave me alone so I may enjoy my time off the clock. plus, it's illegal for me to help you while i'm punched out, then I wouldn't be on break and if i hurt my self doing something for you, will you pay for my time off? nope, and neither will walmart. If you need help, walk up to customer service and ask for someone to help you. They will be more than happy to help you! Think about what you'd want for your self. Would you like it if you had someone bothering you when you're tired and on break? Not really, so, leave the non vested workers alone.

I am an employee, and I think it is a shame that we are not allowed to help customers that are in need, the way I get around this is to call an associate that is working to assist the customer, or if it is simple directions to a part of the store, or a product I tell them which way or where they can find it, Vs. actually showing them, which is what I do 9 times out of 10! To me the customer is the boss, they are what is important, not government regulations, or walmart making money, but them enjoying shopping, saving money, and recieving outstanding customer service. employee at walmart #2060 Lexington, KY

I really hate Wal-Mart in general, not because of their customer service but how the company makes a profit and leaves their employees with little money for them to support their families. Wal-Mart is the cheapest place to shop, but think about the employees there? They ain't making a decent salary, and today... Wal-Mart is blaming their lack of profit because of the House Market.. Thats just sad for such a Corporation as themselves.

I work at Wal Mart and we are told that if we are off the clock to take off our name badges but if a customer does happen to stop and ask for assistance, we CAN help them as long as we fill out a time adjustment later so we can be paid for the time we spent with a customer. It is against company policy to work off the clock without filling out a time adjustment!! but we are told to ALWAYS help the customer and NEVER say "I'm on lunch" or "break"! oh and anthony wal mart wages are well above the average wages for that type of job. Think about it..how hard is it to stock shelves or run a cash register? It's a non skilled job that almost anyone can do. As far as supervisor or skilled jobs(such as an optician in the vision center or pharmacy tech) the pay is pretty good! That's like a millionaire hiring someone to mow his lawn and paying him $10,000 just because he is rich! doesn't make much sense does it?

also I forgot to add if you are simply just on paid break and not lunch, and you help a customer, your break starts over so there is no reason for the associates at walmart not to help you exceopt they are just lazy, I will admit that alot of people that work there are not going anywhere in life and hate their job because of it. I work with these people everyday and am sure they have turned down customers asking for help but overall this does not represent the majority of associates working. Most of us are happy to help regardless of being on lunch or break.

All wal-marts are different but at the one i work for stocking is not easy we are suppose to kill ten pallets per person a night which my not sound like a lot but it is. and we are consistently being threatened that if we don't will be fired along with a lot of lesser things and i know that its agents the law but they don't care. there are a lot of other things that my wal-mart does that there not suppose to. Like are store manager will not help customers and is really rude to them we had a lady the day before back to school ask for some supplies and he snapped at her and told her she should not have waited until the last min. and hear i thought that customers came first and we have been told that we are stockers and not to help the customers by are co-manager but like i said all wal-marts are different and i personally have seen it. but one of the reason we are not allowed to help customers when we are off the clock is because wal-mart has been sued so many times. we are suppose to help them on are 15 min. breaks and the start the 15 min. over but each wal-marts different. the thing about time adjustment sheets is true same if you have wait a the time clock to clock in you get to fill one out for the time you had to wait for the manager which is pretty cool.

You have got to be kidding me? I do work at Wal-Mart and I bust my butt at that place everyday. Whenever a customer asks me for help I always assist them in any way I can. So when I punch out for my break I expect to sit down and relax without having to worry about everything. If a customer whined about me not helping them while im on my break I would just be furious. If a customer complained about an associate not helping them on a break that would be very ignorent and selfish, leave a guy alone when hes on his break! Ask somebody else for help!

I work at Walmart. I work LONG hours, along with oh TWENTY or more other cashiers. If I'm on break...why would you ask me? I have no nametag on...I could be a regular person, and there are many other people surrounding you that could do it for you.

Same with the customers that insist on coming when your light is OFF. It is OFF for a reason. I'm supposed to GO HOME. But because you guys insist on shopping at 10:30 at night, I have to get out late, which yes, I have a life to. I need to either a.) get home to go to bed because I have SCHOOL the next morning or b.) go see my boyfriend who I love and want to get to. There are a bajillion other lines with their LIGHTS ON. GO TO THEM!!!!!!!! I'm sure you wouldnt like working when you can go home...especially if you are an 18 year old. It would be different if I was older and in my actualy career, but this job is just to pay gas. I'm friendly on the clock, but when you start killing my time by being selfish, then [CENSORED].

If I'm not getting paid, you're not getting helped. End of story. Don't bother me. If I'm on break, fine, I can just restart my 15 minutes. If it's lunch, I'm clocked out, and it's 30 minutes of my own time that I can't restart. Don't bother me. If I'm walking through the store holding my apron and my car keys while I'm pushing a cart, don't bother me. I'm off the clock, on my own time, and since it's my own time, you don't exist to me. I have better things to do that don't include sucking up to entitled MORONS like you.

It is pretty stupid because I know I could never deal with the public in that manner! Every time I go to walmart and stand in line at the registers I see a lot of demanding people! I want this like this and that like that and don't bag that with that, I put this on the belt the way I wanted it bagged when half of it is just thrown up there anyways! I always tell those poor cashiers they are doing a great job! I know I couldn't!! As for the situation of customer service help I agree that if they are on break or lunch then you should say oh okay and leave them be!! It is mainly a lot of people who do just care about themselves to worry about it any further. If you are a nice customer then 98% of the time you will get great customer service! If you are ignorant and rude then most likely you will get the same attitude right back! How many people can really hold back 9 hours out of their day from finally giving the same treatment that they have been getting all day! Did you ever here of the saying...Treat people the way you would like to be treated! If you think that they should help you while they are on their lunch then maybe they can come bug you at your job and say I don't care you are having a long day you will help me while you are on lunch! I have a friend who works there and she tells me stories all the time! Customers are very rude most of the time! She is a sweet and friendly person too! So if someone clocks out for lunch and they head to the deli for some food to eat, that means just because they are walking in the store they have to be at your beck and call??? If they can get in their car and drive home or do anything they wanted for that hour, then they shouldn't have to help you! Because at that moment in time they are just another customer who has to stand in line and get the items on their lists and stand and wait for food at the deli or has to hurry to run errands on their lunch!! They do not get paid for it and lose their time out of their only hour!! That would be like walking up to any customer saying help me now!! Most of the time employees take off their badge or are shopping with their purse...So guess what, they are people too!! Leave them alone!!! I don't care what anyones job title is or what anyone does for a living, when you get a lunch you want to take it and 99.9% of all people do not want to do their job while on lunch!! It is a bunch of crap to basically say that even while on lunch or break they have to keep on working just because people expect to be waited on hand and foot all the time!!! Maybe there shouldn't be a walmart since people are so demanding of the employees!! Then watch the people who bi@#$%d about it to begin with would b@#$h because it is no longer there!! People just need to respect others and how they feel!! The End!!

Why would you want somebody that is on their break to help you. It is called a break for a reason! Your so hung up about hating Walmart that you don't see that your being very selfish and ignorant in judging Walmart workers (at least in this aspect). I agree that they should be taught better customer service but I would never expect someone to work through their break.

Okay here is my two cents. I am a Walmart deli associate. Please when you come up to the counter know what you want. People want to stand and give us dirty looks when they aren't getting waited on the instant the step up to the counter but expect us to decide what they want. I am not your babysitter. No I don't know how much mashed potatoes you need to feed five people. When you come to the hot case and you don't see what you wanted, don't ask if we have any. If we did it would be in the case. No one is saving it for a rainy day. Why do people ask if the General Tsao's chicken is hot when they can see the hot peppers in it? No we don't bake the pizzas here, that is why they are called Take and Bake. It takes just a little effort. Why do people go in Walmart and act like heathens? Ask associates have they had to dodge any wild carts today. I had a woman hit me with hers in the hip yesterday after she said whe was trying not to hit me. She didn't even apologize.

Hi Aaron the reason employees cannot help customers while they are off the clock is because there is a federal law that says any employee who is not on the clock does not have to work or the store or any business will be fined at least 25,000 dollars and the person off the clock can sue them as well i was a manager in new jersey and at our classes i found out a lot o things companies make you do are against the law even climbing on a ladder with no one else around is a law as well.

My girlfriend and I were shopping at walmart tonight. We were looking in the electronics for a sertain video game. After looking for quite some time we decided to ask the electronics employee. She was at the counter randomly talking with another employee. We asked if she knew if they had that game. Instead of actually helping us she just said I dont know. If we do its on the game shelf. This was very rude and not good service. I work in a grocery store and we bend over backwards to help our customers any way possible. I have had multiple experiences at walmart with bad customer service. Every worker I have encountered is rude and seem to not care. Almost like we are causing them a problem for asking for assistance. I will absolutely not shop there any more. I had limited going there only for things I couldnt find anywhere else, but now if no place else has it and only walmart does, then I will do without. I hate walmart with a passion. I cannot describe my hatred for walmart. I hope they all burn.

AJ,
Many people would love to go somewhere else. Walmart has made this difficult though. They have run small business out. These businesses were good quality businesses. They are costing many people their jobs as well.

AJ,
Many people would love to go somewhere else. Walmart has made this difficult though. They have run small business out. These businesses were good quality businesses. They are costing many people their jobs as well. .

What the hell is with the supercenters checkouts??
They have like 30 checkout lanes and most the time they only have 3 or 4 cashiers running them? the lines are ridiculously long. Put more cashiers on them registers. They spent thousands on the registers so why dont they use them. Another key to making your customers happy is making sure they are able to checkout as fast as possible. No one likes to wait forever. Also, they have those self checkout lanes. They are never open!! Piss on you walmart.

I work at Walmart. I hate working at Walmart. One of many reasons I hate it is because of stupid customers. I'll bet I get 50 customers a day who walk up to me without even looking for what they're shopping for and ask me where it is, and about 90% of the time, it's right beside them. They don't even bother looking. The tip off is when they start their question with "I'm looking for...." No, they aren't looking for any product. They are looking for someone to take them by the hand and lead them to it.Just as an example of a typical stupid rude customer, One evening on the first day of the month (welfare and social security check day)and on a busy weekend, when I was overwhelmed because no one showed up to work in our department that day but me, one gentleman (and I use the term loosely) walked up to my counter without even stepping into the department, and without casting his eyes either left or right, and asked me if we had some obsolete electronic device. I politely informed him we do not carry that item, to which he replied(and I kid you not), "Is there someone here who knows that I can ask?"I tried to be polite. I really did, But I guess his insult pissed me off to the point I couldn't conceal my aggravation. I replied, "Sir. I'm here. I know. And we don't have it."The jerk complained to management that I was rude to him! And you want to complain about OUR ATTITUDES????

I sadly work at walmart as well and most of the customers that come into the store are lazy, inconsiderate, stupid whiners. The customers complain about EVERYTHING even when you're are trying to be polite and help them out. As for this whole helping out on your lunch thing I'm going to have to go with NO. Customers need to realize that lunch break is lunch break regardless of how much help they need. 9 times out of 10 there are other associates working on the clock who can help them but they always look for employees not wearing there name tag??? Customers wouldn't like to be bothered if they were at work on there lunch. Point blank [REMOVED BY ADMIN FOR THREATS]

@Jazz- You, as well as many here, clearly do not understand customer service, which what this whole post is about. So, keep up with your threats (which you can clearly see I removed), and your lazy "I ain't helping nobody" attitude, and see how far you get in life.

There's a higher level of thinking which Wal-Mart employees clearly don't "get", so keep it up. You'll be making $7.00 your whole life.

You have no reason to complain. You noticed the lady was not wearing an apron, which is obvious shes not working at the moment, but you HAD to ask for help because you're the most important person in the world, Right? WORKERS HAVE A RIGHT TO A BREAK! And shouldn't be bothered by oblivious [CENSORED] like you. If you got your thong in a bunch with Walmart because their workers wouldn't help you while on their break, than you need to [CENSORED] and realize your just another [CENSORED] that needs to get over himself.

COMMENT BY ADMIN- It's "you're just another", not "your just another", and I don't tolerate the foul language, personal attacks or threats you find entertaining.

@Phoenixfay- Keep it coming. You guys are proving my point. Wal-Mart has ZERO customer service values. Period. You won't find this lack of customer care at organizations that pay more than minimum wage. But hey, keep it coming. It's entertaining to read how many of you JUST DON'T GET IT.

Further, I noticed that you have bigger issues. You came to my blog post, because you searched for "why do customers ask for me for help when Im obviously on the clock". Yes, that's copied and pasted directly as you typed it. Not "off the clock", as you would expect. So, not only are you irritated by customers asking for your help while you're OFF the clock, but you're also bothered by customers asking for your help while you're ON the clock. Solid.

Maybe customer service oriented jobs aren't for you. You should probably look into something else.

Quite simply if an associate has his/her name tag off, they can not help you. I work at Wal-Mart, and no, I don't work there because I desperately love being in customer service, I work there because I am a full-time college student and it is one of the few places that have jobs available so that I can pay my bills. I consider myself a decent employee--I am very polite with customers, I show them to the items that they need, help them get fish from the fish tanks, help them figure out what they need, etc. Some of the time the customers are polite back, but a lot of the time the customers treat me as if I am some kind of undeserving heathen that works there to serve their beck and call that they can treat like crap. I have many customers get upset with me because we do not have a product, which I can not control because I am not a manager, so I cannot do the ordering! Please, if you want good customer service, be a polite customer! I am never rude to customers, even when they are being very rude to me. I am sorry if you had to wait a couple of minutes for me to come over and get you your fish, but I had to walk all the way from the other side of the store to get to you! Also, please stop driving your carts like psychopaths! You can't just zoom your carts from side aisles into main aisles without looking, because I don't know you are there and I might hit you with a pick cart, which thankfully, I've never done. Instead, I have to pull back really quickly with a very heavy cart, which hurts my arms mind you doing so, so I don't run over you while you're pushing your cart like a madman. And also, thanks very much for hitting me with your cart--I now have a bruise, and it is quite painful. I do try to help customers when I am on lunch or on a break, but there's a limit. I can tell you where an item is without showing you directly, but I cannot mix paint for you. I would get in trouble if I did. I will help you find an associate who can, but no, you rudely yell at me for shopping while on my lunch even though you so desperately need that paint. Please wait--there are other associates who are on the clock who can help you. To attack me while I'm on my lunch, when I legally can't help you to a certain extent, is just selfish and proves that you believe that you are better than me. Please treat your local Wal-Mart associates with respect, and they will treat you the same. Believe me, the majority of the associates at my store are very polite and will help you if you need it, but they will not provide you with great customer service if you are being a jerk. When one associate is on lunch, there are at least four/five others that are available to help you, so please ask them.

As an associate at Wal-Mart, I understand your concern about customer service. In my training for Wal-Mart, customer service was harped on. Help a customer the best you can in a manner that is consistent with Wal-Mart policy. I will go above and beyond to provide the best customer service possible.

To give you a bit of background information, I have a degree in music education and those jobs are difficult to find. I knew what I got into, so don't think I am asking for sympathy. That is something I have wanted for years. Last June, I was unfairly terminated from a call center job and my unemployment claims were denied. For 8 months, I was without a job and just got hired at Wal-Mart.

That said, the majority of the people are right. I would want to provide good customer service but the thing is, if I am off the clock, I cannot provide any customer service or else I could lose my job and get Wal-Mart into trouble. That isn't worth losing my job over. You are expecting people to do something that they simply cannot do. The same company I was employed at before Wal-Mart had call center locations in California and they were sued for making their employees work off the clock.

In their place, you cannot tell me that you would do anything different. The attitude that you have is what causes customer service associates to hate their job.

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